The Oscar winner admitted her dirty little secret to U.S. TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, insisting that she makes sure her garbage is never overflowing or out of control.

The obsession with garbage has even got her a nickname - 'The Mommy Trash Compactor' - by her son.

"I like to throw a lot of things away, particularly at Christmas. It makes me a little crazy when the trash is overflowing," Contactmusic quoted her saying, as telling on the show.

"I put on rubber boots and I literally get into the trash can and I stomp on the trash.

"Sometimes I'll sneak and look at the neighbour's garbage cans and see if it's kind of empty. I'll wait, literally until the middle of the night when the children are asleep, and I'll take my extra garbage and I'll put it in the can," she added.